Bandage for administering drugs

ABSTRACT

Bandage for use in the continuous administration of systemically active drugs by absorption through the skin or oral mucosa comprising a backing member having on one surface thereof a reservoir containing a systemically active drug. The reservoir has a wall distant from the backing member and permeable to passage of the drug. A pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, also permeable to passage of the drug, is carried by the reservoir. The drug is in a form acceptable for absorption through the skin or the mucosa of the mouth.



1. A medical bandage for use in the continuous administration to circulation of controlled quantities of systemically active drugs over a prolonged period of time by absorption through the external body skin or mucosa, said bandage comprising a sandwich including (1) a backing member; (2) a discrete, middle reservoir layer containing a systemically active drug, which reservoir layer is comprised of systemically active drug formulation confined within a wall member, said wall member being formed from drug release rate controlling material to continuously meter the flow of drug from the said reservoir to the skin or mucosa at a controlled and predetermined rate over a prolonged period of time; and (3) a surface of a pressure-sensitive adhesive adapted for contact with the skin or mucosa of a patient.
 2. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein the reservoir layer (2) is comprised of a walled container having an interior chamber containing the systemically active drug formulation.
 3. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein the reservoir layer (2) is comprised of a matrix of the drug release rate controlling wall material, said matrix having the systemically active drug formulation distributed therethrough.
 4. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein the systemically active drug formulation is soluble in the drug release rate controlling material.
 5. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive is permeable to passage of the systemically active drug formulation.
 6. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein the drug formulation comprises a pharmacologically acceptable solvent.
 7. The bandages as defined by claim 1, further comprising a solubility membrane (4) interposed between said reservoir layer (2) and said surface of pressure-sensitive adhesive (3).
 8. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein said drug release rate controlling material is silicone rubber.
 9. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein said drug release rate controlling material is a hydrophilic polymer of an ester of an olefinic acid.
 10. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein at least that portion of the wall member comprising the reservoir layer (2) which is adapted to be brought contiguous the skin as mucosa is formed from the drug release rate controlling material.
 11. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein the wall member comprising the reservoir layer (2) consists of drug release rate controlling material.
 12. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the wall member comprising the reservoir layer (2) also defines the said backing member (1).
 13. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive is adapted to provide a liquidtight adhesive seal between the skin or mucosa and the bandage.
 14. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein the surface of a pressure-sensitive adhesive (3) is covered with a protective release coating (5).
 15. The bandage as defined by claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the backing member (1) is coated with a low-adhesion backsize (6). 